Tire cover



Feb. 8, 1938. H. s. JANDUS ET Al.

TIRE COVER Fii\ed Aug. 11, 195o- 2 sheets-sheet 2 DVE DFE) fefeffJdkfzdas J afa/f6 f/ Patented Feb. 8, 15938:.:

UNITED STATES PATET OFFCE TIRE COVER Application August 11,

9 Claims.

'This invention has to do with tire covers and means for locking thesame on a spare tire. One of the objects of the invention is to providean articulated cover which will adapt itself to all 5 sizes of tires. Afurther object is to provide instrumentalities for locking such cover insuch a manner as to inhibit access to the locking parts and therebyrender the cover theft-proof. A further object lies in the provision ofmeans con- 101 necting the various parts of the cover so that when thesame is installed, rattling is obviated.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of acover and lock therefor which are of pleasing appearance, easilyassembled and disassembled, protect the tire from deterioration due tothe elements and from direct injury and whose parts are so simple as tolend themselves to low cost of manufacture.

Further objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 illustrates our invention applied to a tire.

Figure 2 is a side view of the structure shown in Figure 1.

portion of the cover locking means,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken approximately in the plane indicatedby the line 4-4 of Fig. 3,

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view illustrating how the sections tover the tire and the Ymanner in which the sections are connected,

Figure 6 shows a portion of the-tire cover with 'the sections in nestedrelation. f f

Figure '7 is a sectional view'taken in the plane indicated by lineVII-VII, in Figure 3, illustrating our novel cover locking'means.

YFigure 8 is a plan view of the cover lockingA means.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like referencecharacters indicate corresponding parts, numeral I designates the tirecover which comprises a plurality oi substantially articulated sections2 joined loosely together by pin and slot connections indicatedgenerally at 3. As may be ascertained from Figure 6, each section 2 isnested within the preceding section very much in the manner of armor. It50 will be noted that, referring to the pin and slot connectionsindicated at 3, in each instance, the pin 4 is secured to the outersection and the slot 5 located in the portion of the section nestedwithin the previous section. Thus all slots are hidden from view. Itwill be further, noted that Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view showinga l 1930, Serial No. 474,612

each slot 5 is inclined, the purpose of which will appear hereinafter.

In order to assure symmetry, the sets of sections are separated byadditional sections and 7, the section t' being nested within theassociated sections 2, and the section 'I being disposed outside or" theassociated sections 2. Each section is substantially U-shaped in crosssection and is adapted to receive the tire as'shown in Figure 5.

In order to maintain all parts of the cover in snug engagement with thetire, which is designated at 8, the section 2 adjacent the right end oflocking section 'I, as seen in Figure 1, is provided with a keyhole slot9 in which a pin I0 loosely ts. The pin I@ is permanently attached to aplate Ill which is connected by a cable I5 or similar means toa sheaveI6. The section 'I is bulged out at I2, thereby providing a space I3Which is permanently bridged by a plate I1, secured in place by rivetsor the like I8. The plate I4 is provided with a pin I9 permanentlyattached thereto and slidable in the slot 2i) of the plate I'I. Theplate I4 is disposed within the space I3 and it is thus evidentV thatits motion is guided by the confines of the space I3 and by the walls ofthe slot 20.

The section 'I is provided centrally with a recess 2I having asubstantially cylindrical housing 22 open centrally at 23. A ratchet 24is per- 30 manently secured to the housing 22 by any suitable means.Disposed centrally of the housing 22 is a lock cylinder 25 of a commontype including spring-pressed plungers 26 adapted normally to engagebetween the teeth of the ratchet 35 24. The lock cylinder 25 is providedwith the usual tumbler means having a key opening to receive a key 2'Iby Which the plungers 26 may be withdrawn from engagement with theratchet 24 for independent movementof the lock cylinder relativethereto. The lock cylinder 25 is enclosed in a substantially cylindricalcasing 28 through which the plungers 26 are adapted to extend. Thiscasing is movable relative to the lock cylinder when the plungers arewithdrawn. AY cap 29 is permanently secured at 30 tothe casing 28 and isprovided centrally with an oblong slot 39 in which the neck 3l of thekey 21 is received. The lock cylinder 25 is provided with an annulargroove 32 in which a resilient split ring 33 fits. The ring 33 projectsbeyond the groove 32 toengage a portion of the casing 28fto preventremoval of the casing as will appear hereinafter.

Fixed to the bottom of the lock cylinder 25 by any suitable means, isthe sheave IIS comprising s' in the tumbler means and thek hand grippingthe Vcap 29 sufliciently to maintain Ythe plungers 26V until pin I9 isdisposed as lThe knurled yportion 38 of mitted by the ratchet 24,

a pair o identical annularly flanged members 34 fixed against relativerotation by means of dowels 35. The sheave I6 is disposed below theratchet 24 andprevents removal of the lock cylinder 25.v It will thus beseen that the split ring 33 referred to above serves to prevent removalof the casing 28Y and Cap 29, even when the plungers 26 are withdrawn.

The cover is applied to a tire in much the same manner as Vthearticulated type of nonskid tire chain now commonly in use. The end 36of the terminal section 2 is brought in proximity to the extremity 31,of the section 1, and is projected into the lattervkuntil theenlargement of the keyhole slotA 9 is located in receiving relation tothe pin III. The pin I0. isthen projected through the enlargement of theslot 9 and the sections are drawnv away fromleach other shown in FigureI3. the cap`29 is thereupon grasped and Vrotatedv inthe directionpercable I about thesheave I6, until` the end 36 rotation of the cap 29.yThe plungers 26 are then maintained,- by spring means within the lockcylinder 25, in engagement with the ratchet 24,' the Vteeth of whichprevent retrograde Vrotation of the cylinder 25. It is thus evident thatwithout the proper key, it is Vimpossible to Withdraw the plung'ers` 26from engagement with theY ratchet 24 andconsequently it is impossible toseparate the terminal portions 36 and 31 to remove the cover. Y

When it is desired to remove the cover, it is necessary merely to insertthe key 21 through l the slot 39 of the cap-29 and into the opening of`the tumbler lock cylinder 25, and to Vrotate the key a sufficient amountto withdraw the plungers -26 entirely within the cylinder 25. Due to the`fit of the key'neck 3l. in the slot 39 of the cap' 29 the said capWlllnecessarily rotate with the key. In order to provide for thiscontingency, the openings 4D in theV casing. are made ofsui'licient'length soY that `the walls thereof will not interfereWith'the retractive movement of'the'plungers 26. The cylinder25 will beprevented from turning by reason of` the tension of the cable1|5 aroundthe'sheave I6. With the key retractedwsaid cap may-be permitted toYrotate in a direction opposite to the direction inV which it wasoriginally rotated, by reason of the pull exerted by the cable I5, thesloping wall 42 of the bulged portionV I2 serving to cam the eX- tremity43 Vdownward to permit passage of the of Vthe 1pm lo ,therefrom throughthe keyhole a.

pin I0 beyond the section 1, whereupon the 601 end 361s slackenedsufliciently as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 to permit thedisengagement When the sections are tightened about the tire, the pins 4slide down the inclined Yslots 5, thereby. wedging the adjacent sectionstogether so that the possibility of rattling of the sections when thevcover is lockedon the tire is obviated.

The bulgedportion 4I is provided merely to maintain thesymmetry of thecover. l Y

It will be understood from the foregoing that wer-have providedL a tirecover which will prove anasset to a car not only as an object of beautyIbut* one of substantialV utility. The locking means we-employ isextremely .simple and it will be thereby drawing Vthe Y engagement withthe tire, said cover including `a plurality of overlapped tread engagingsections connected by means of pins and inclined slots, whereby` saidsections are wedged together to Y prevent rattling when the cover istightly drawn about the tire.Y

' 2. A tire covercomprising a substantiallyringshaped member havingmovable ends, sheave "and cable meansas's'ociated with said ends fordrawing said member into snug engagement with Y various sizes of tires,said member concealing K said means to guard against tampering.

3. Autire cover comprising a exible arcuate member having a variablevrclosed perimeter, and means concealed bysaid member for shorteningthe/perimeter of said member tocausethelat-,1` ter to rmlyengagetiresrof various sizes, saidw member having a recess receiving:Isaidfmeans so that the haer win hohinterfr'e jwu'hjthe ne ofthe coveronvatire. l

4. A tire vcover comprising i shaped non-resilientlme'rnber `havingrelatively movable ends, and means concealed by said member forrelatively moving said ends'soasto ureduce the diameter of the. ring,Vand means for vmaintaining them in iixedrelationvto each other,

asubStentiJly Vrinso whereby said member will snugly ntvarioussizes n oftires. v 1-Y 5. A tire cover comprisingasubstantially ring shapednon-.resilient memberhavingA relatively movable ends, means forrelatively `moving saidA ends so as to reduce the diameterof themring',"means for maintaining theminiixed relation to each other, whereby saidmember will snugly fitY various` sizes .Y of tires, and'vinstrumentalities for preventing unauthorized access to theL last means.

6. A tire vcover comprising a substantially ringu shaped member ofvariable perimeter and having relatively movableendsrmeans including Vasheave on oneendV and a cable connected,to` the Vsheave and to ltheother end.- for drawing said A ends towardeach othergwhereby said memberwill snuglyt various sizeswof` tires,Y and instrumentalities Vforlocking said endsk againstfunauthorized disturbance.v Y

7 Atire cover comprising a substantially ring shaped member Vof,variable Aperimeter andhaving relatively movable ends, sheave and cablemeans associated with saidendsV Vfor drawing said member into snugengagement with varioussizes of tires and a device forrpreventingretrogradeaction of said cable.

8. A tireA cover 4comprising a longitudinal series of pivotallyandslidably'connectedsegments including free terminal segments and having acombined circumferential extent of substantial-1` ly a completev but'split annulus, the connections betweenthe segments being located'adjacentfthe innerfperipheryof the' cover to allow relativeYcircumferential'movementv of thejsegments at Vthe outerperiphery,certainvof said segments` being VYaligned but movable apart and awayfrom each other in'opposite directions to open the fcover andtherebyenable'the cover to'assume an enlarged diameter When'openedand removedfrom the tire.

9. A tire 'cover having a plurality of segments extending substantiallythroughout the circumference of the cover and with their adjacent edgesgenerally radial, said segments having circumferentially exibleconnections therebetween at said edges and said segments beingrelatively short so that said segments, upon relative crcumferentialmovement thereof, enable the cover to assume an enlarged diameter whenopened and removed from the tire, each of said connections including a.pin on one segment and a cooperating slot in an adjacent segmentreceiving said pin.

' HERBERT S. JANDUS.

THEODORE J. W. TYSON.

